Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Behbahan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Behbahan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $503 in Behbahan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $793 in Behbahan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,083 in Behbahan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 226% more expensive than in Behbahan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Behbahan is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.07 $4.07

97.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$12.23 $12.23

294.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.07 $4.07

131.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.06 $1.06

177.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.71 $0.71

161.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.97 $0.97

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.66 $0.66

118.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.42 $0.42

471.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.96 $1.96

-13.27%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.23 $1.23

134.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$2.21 $2.21

355.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.26 $2.26

341.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.66 $9.66

47.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.07 $1.07

271.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.56 $1.56

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.93 $0.93

131.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.55 $0.55

318.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.58 $0.58

244.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.55 $0.55

174.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.50 $0.50

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.16 $0.16

700.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 $0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.03 $3.03

26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.18 $0.18

594.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$7.45 $7.45

945.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.38 $0.38

244.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.18 $0.18

1105.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.45 $3.45

140.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.08 $0.08

1600.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$65.2K $65.2K

-57.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$54.4K $54.4K

-32.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 COP 519.2K

$23.47 $23.47

618.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$2.08 $2.08

552.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$3.79 $3.79

647.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$17.85 $17.85

156.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$13.41 $13.41

28.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$1.97 $1.97

237.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$803 COP 2.5M

$102 $102

689.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$2,377 $2,377

286.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$22.67 $22.67

285.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.09 $18.09

228.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$96.7 $96.7

43.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$55.2 $55.2

84.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$284 $284

276.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$199 $199

228.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$657 $657

192.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$334 $334

213.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,153 $1,153

257.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$587 $587

189.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.8

-54.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Behbahan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $284 in Behbahan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Behbahan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $98.0 per month, with Behbahan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Behbahan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Behbahan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 226% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $755 in Behbahan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $284 in Behbahan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $503 in Behbahan – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Behbahan runs roughly 946% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $503 in Behbahan versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Behbahan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Behbahan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Behbahan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Behbahan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.